Reels & Roots Film Festival

07/26/2026

Sunday matinee and final day of film fest is set to begin shortly! 11 am! If you haven’t yet come check out some amazing films. All@ admissions are free.

07/25/2026

We kick off at 11am today for shorts followed by our feature at 12:30!
Stop on down for cold drink also! We have Shills' Chill Drinks LLC here all day serving up fun beverages all day!

07/25/2026

All screenings are free. We kick of our matinee set at 11am and our evening set at 5:30. Hayward made film Farlight premiers at 7:30!

07/24/2026

Free screening with filmmaker at 7:30 tonight!

07/22/2026

If you love campfire stories you will not want to miss the premier of Farlight!

Farlight was filmed in, and inspired by Hayward. We can’t wait to have the cast and crew here with us on Saturday, July 25th. Q&A following the screening.

Set in a forgotten Midwestern town where folklore bleeds into reality, Farlight follows three interconnected stories told around a campfire: a grieving man who undergoes hypnotherapy with his estranged brother to uncover the truth behind his dog's death, a fading Hollywood actor whose visit to Farlight for a movie premiere spirals into terror, and two plane crash survivors who encounter nightmarish creatures on a haunted farm. Together, these tales reveal the terrifying mythology hidden beneath the town of Farlight.

07/20/2026

Full short film line up for our inaugural festival!
July 24th - July 26th

Check out images for synopsis of every film and what set they will be showing.

Thank you for all the submissions, we cannot wait to meet filmmakers that are able to make the trip up north.

All admissions are free for festival screenings all weekend.

07/14/2026

July 24th - July 26th
Admission is free for every film festival screening.

06/30/2026

We’re excited to announce that we’ll be selling our own custom designed and hand pressed Roots & Reels Film Festival T shirts during the festival.

From the beginning, our goal has been to make independent film as accessible as possible. That’s why we chose to offer free film submissions for filmmakers and free first admissions for festival attendees during our inaugural year.

Every T shirt purchased helps support the festival and allows us to continue providing the best experience possible for our filmmakers, guests, and community.

If you’d like to support the festival while taking home a unique keepsake, we hope you’ll stop by and pick one up.

Thank you for being part of the first Roots & Reels Film Festival. We look forward to sharing this experience with you.

06/15/2026

🎬🦌The Reels & Roots Film Festival🦌🎬

Join us July 24–26 at Hayward Cinema 4 for an unforgettable weekend celebrating independent filmmaking, storytelling, and community.

🎥 We kick off Friday night with an incredible lineup of short films followed by our Animation Feature.

🎞️ Saturday features both a Matinee and Evening Showcase, packed with outstanding short films that lead into an incredible selection of feature films. Plus, don’t miss our Special Premiere Screening on Saturday Night, one of the highlights of the festival!

🎬 We close Sunday with a Matinee Showcase, featuring more exceptional short films followed by our Documentary Feature.

🦌 Throughout the weekend, enjoy filmmaker Q&A sessions, meet talented creators from around the region, and experience the stories behind the screen.

🍔 Food trucks will be on site all day Saturday.

Hayward Cinema 4
July 24–26, 2026
Hayward, Wisconsin

06/11/2026

We can not wait to screen this film and many more at our inaugural film festival!

Another film festival announcement...Congratulations to our team! Daniel Wheeler Jason Buss Grace Park Moriah Koehler Nate Haban Tom Thorne Hope you can go support Indie film in the Northwoods -July 24-26. https://www.facebook.com/share/1UJPwFvB4J/